Summary: The first in a series about rescuing animals which have been abandoned, lost or neglected doesn't gloss over the fact that some people are unkind to animals but doesn't go into gory details. Recommended.

Animal Magic is one of those places which just shouldn't be needed. It's an animal rescue centre and they take in abandoned, lost and neglected animals, nurse them back to health and then find good homes for them. It's run by Mark and Heidi Harrison (Heidi's a vet) along with their two children, Karl and Eva, who live at the rescue centre along with their parents. The centre has two rules - they never put any animal to sleep who has a chance of regaining health - and Karl and Eva are not to get the idea that they can keep any of the animals on a permanent basis. If they did the house would be overrun!

Eva, particularly, has a soft spot for all the animals, but her heart is grabbed when she finds a cardboard box containing a three-month-old labrador puppy at the gate. The pup is called Honey and Eva knows that she can't keep the animal but surely her best friend who lives next door could persuade her mother that pets are A Good Thing? In the meantime there are dogs to be walked and pets to be fed. Oh, and Eva's best friend's parents are determined to have Animal Magic shut down.

It's a lovely story, which doesn't go into gory details but doesn't hide the fact that some people are just not kind to animals and really shouldn't be allowed to have them in the first place. It's going to appeal to boys and girls in the six to nine age group, although there is more about Eva in the story than Karl - and there's a lot about the animals. (I was considering taking on the two Jack Russell puppies: I'm sure we could give them the perfect home...) There are occasional illustrations but not on every page - this book is really for the child who has got past the 'working out the words' stage and is discovering what a joy it is to read.

This is the start of the series and we've also seen The Home-alone Kitten, which is every bit as good a read. There's a mild cliffhanger at the end of the story (will the attempt to close down Animal Magic succeed?) but not to the extent that you're going to be pestered to buy the next book in the series and although the next books are mentioned at the end of the book, there's no real pressure to buy. Hurrah! I'd like to thank the publishers for sending copies to the Bookbag.